Central Hosts Istrouma on Friday

Central Heavily Favored Over Istrouma Friday In First Game

CENTRAL — The Central High Wildcats will make their season debut this Friday night at 7 p.m. when they host the Istrouma Indians at Wildcat Stadium. Both teams are fresh off victories in last Friday’s jamboree games.

Central is aiming for its 4th straight District Championship in District 4-5A, while Istrouma is in a rebuilding year in District 6-4A, after finishing 1-9 last season.  The Indians are coached by first-year head coach Johnny Felders.

Central’s 7-2 victory over East Feliciana in the Zachary Jamboree came on a 73-yard pass from junior quarterback Brett Courville to sophomore running back Gary Triplet.  Once Triplet got the ball, even East Feliciana’s speedy defensive  backs couldn’t catch him.  Triplet is one of the state’s fastest sprinters during track season.

Earlier in the game, Triplet was tackled in the end zone for a safety.  Dotson said that was due to a missed block.  Central got a break early in the game when East Feliciana’s All-State quarterback Kendell Beckwith was ejected from the game after taking a swing at a Central player.  What provoked him was unclear, but without the 6’3” 225 junior, East Feliciana had trouble getting its offense going.

For the Istrouma game, Coach Dotson asks Central fans to show up en masse and wear maroon.  The coach said, “Maroon is the appropriate color to wear at any Central game, but sometime during the season, we will have a white-out or a black-out.” Coach Dotson emphasized that next Friday’s game in Lafayette against St. Thomas More is the only major road trip of the year.  He said he is hoping for a big turnout by Central fans, to help give them an edge against St. Thomas More.  St. Thomas More, now 4A, was 13-0 last season and lost in the playoffs to Acadiana.

PHOTO BY KEVIN BANES